Alpine garden col du Lautaret

[Philippe]

Alpine Garden Lautaret ( station alpine Jospeh Fourier) and surrounding area

Back from the 5 days trip in the Alps for a french speaking garden association meeting who took place this year at the alpine garden on col du Lautaret.

This was the first time I came to this well known garden situated between Grenoble and Briançon, at about 2000m asl.

After a 6/7 hours car-trip in the heat of the lowland, we arrived at the garden with thunderstorm, rain, hail and heavenly fresh air as a welcome. No good conditions though to visit the garden, so we had to wait under a shelter for about 30 minutes untill the thunderstorm moved away.



The view from the entrance of the garden, with the staff accomodation chalet in the middle behind some Larix species. Right the relatively new patagonian/south andean bed which was made mainly of pouzzolane ( a volcanic reddish very porous rock).



It soon appeared that the prolounged winter and the very late and cold spring would have retarded the flowering and growing season here too, so it was a bit too soon to really appreciate the plants.

Nevertheless here some pics of the garden/surrounding with names when I remember it.

[Philippe]

A beautiful scree bed built for the Apenins region



The raised beds area which provide particular conditions for difficult or more demanding species that could perhaps not do well in the open air in the beds: there is a grid protection against direct snowcover during winter, percolating watering system for the summer, and a mist spreading system to add some air humidity, because the weather conditions on the pass are often rather dry during summer ( as the place is quite exposed to permanent winds). Some lovely tries are being made here, amongst them cushion species of south America ( Bolax gummifera, Petunia patagonica...)

We spent the second day in the valley, viewing presentations about different subjects and themes.

The third day, we went to the col du Galibier, above the garden, at about 2400m.asl. This and the surrounding areas are a very interesting place, as there are several types of rocks laying next to the othern, allowing thus an incredible rich variety of plant species on short distances sometimes.

Some pics of this day.



Ranunculus kuepferi



One of the several gentians growing in the alpine meadows around the pass ( G.bavarica, G.verna, G.brachyphylla, G.orbicularis). Of course, I didn't write immediately name of the plant by taking the pic, and judging now just from a picture is quite hard, but this should be neither Gentiana verna nor G.bavarica)



Geum montanum. Note the old flowering stems from precedent year, still standing upright because of poor snowcover during winter due to permanent wind blowing effects near the pass.
Amongst others, Doronicum grandiflorum, Gypsophila repens, Saxifraga oppositifolia, Soldanella pusilla, Draba aizoides, Androsace carnea ssp.brigantiaca, Androsace obtusifolia, and plenty of others, unfortunately most
of the time a bit too soon to appreciate the flowers.

[Philippe]

Getting 200/300meters down again, passing by a limestone rock formation, showing a completely different flora.



Pedicularis rostratospicata



Pulsatilla alpina



A view down to the col du Lautaret, on the center right of the pic. On the left side of the pic, the valley leading to Briançon further south.



Alyssum alpestre



Curiously Gentiana kochiana, an acid lover. We also found Oxyria digyna growing here on limestone!
Many many other plants in this place, Callianthemum coriandrifolium, Leontopodium alpinum, Anemone baldensis, Nigritella rhelicani, Globularia cordifolia, Acinos alpinus, Soldanella alpina...

[Philippe]

The next walk was around the garden itself, in the meadows. Here too, incredibly lots of species.



Lathyrus occidentalis, Geranium sylvaticum, Crepis bocconii, Gentiana lutea, Campanula thyrsoides, Asphodelus albus ssp.delphinensis, Centaurea montana, Anemone narcissiflora, Paradisia liliastrum, Trollius europaeus, Narcissus poeticus, and, and, and...Everything growing close to each other, and just at the perfect flowering-time



Another walk brought us to the opposite side of the valley, again with different plant-associations, passing through very wet places alternating with meadows full of flowers. Lilium martagon, Thalictrum aquilegiifolium, Aquilegia alpina, Viola calcarata, Senecio incanus and Dianthus pavonius in the drier places, Veronica allionii....



Bupleurum longifolium



Gentiana punctata



A sight over the Meije Glacier

[Philippe]

Some few hours spent in the garden during the last morning.



Spain mountains bed




One of the Pyrénées beds.




The tuffa wall in front of the accomodation chalet, about 20 meters long, and 1.5m high...Relatively new but with some very interesting plants within: Campanula zoysii, Androsace helvetica, Eritrichium nanum...

A last look at some of the treasures planted in the raised bed area, also quite new.



Silene bolanthoides



Primula blinii

[Philippe]

Primula bellidifolia.

Many other things to see there of course, I only wish I had more time!



The last pic, of the Balkans bed, with Geum coccineum in red, and an Iris species in the foreground.

[Lori S.]

Wonderful mountain scenes, Philippe!  In the meadow photos, what is the yellow and orange Astragalus(?)  It is stunning.

We also found Oxyria digyna growing here on limestone!

Is it unusual for it to grow on limestone there?  Just wondering, as the local Rockies are predominantly limestone, and it is a common alpine here.

[Maggi Young]

A fine place for a meeting, Philippe.


Two related threads from the past:
http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=2736.0
http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=6540.0 photos from the travels of the staff.

http://sajf.ujf-grenoble.fr/

[Philippe]

Hi Lori

The yellow orange flower is Lathyrus occidentalis ( L.laevigatus ssp.occidentalis).

Concerning Oxyria digyna, it is rather described as growing in acid soil plant communities in the european Alps, and even has given its name to one of this association, typically representative of siliceous soil.

[ruweiss]

Simply great, thank you for taking us to
this beautiful place.

[astragalus]

Beautiful plants, beautiful pictures, thanks so much for sharing.

[arillady]

Exquisite photos.

[Lori S.]

Hi Lori

The yellow orange flower is Lathyrus occidentalis ( L.laevigatus ssp.occidentalis).

Concerning Oxyria digyna, it is rather described as growing in acid soil plant communities in the european Alps, and even has given its name to one of this association, typically representative of siliceous soil.

Thank you!  I didn't imagine it was Lathyrus!  Beautiful. 
Very interesting (and puzzling  ) about how Oxyria digyna behaves there - I had no idea about that.

[ashley]

A fascinating report Philippe, and magnificent photographs.
Thank you.

[Maggi Young]

Le Tour de France is in this lovely area near the garden  today -  great helicopter shots of the mountains  for those of us far away!